The Journey Beyond the Diagnosis: Finding Your Path to Survivorship
Thanks to earlier detection, improved treatments and the supportive care of family and friends, there are now over 10 million cancer survivors in the United States. One out of every six people over sixty-five is a cancer survivor. These numbers will certainly increase as baby boomers continue to age. As a result of earlier detection and improved treatments cancer, this disease is no longer seen as a terminal disease. Cancer can be a chronic disease that often has long – term effects on a survivor’s life. Because more survivors are living longer, there is a need to address these long-term issues. However, as we are learning, recovery is not always the end of the cancer experience and in fact just the start. Concerns of cancer reoccurrence, toxic cancer therapies and financial worries just to name a few can leave the cancer survivor with issues that require long term surveillance. Finally, recovering from the social and emotional trauma of a cancer diagnosis can often take longer than recuperating from the treatment itself. After decades of focus on treating the cancer, researchers now face the challenge of helping survivors achieve a high quality of life years after the treatment ended. The goal of this program is to help address the needs of this growing population.
Program Overview
A series of workshops focusing on providing individuals who have completed treatment
or are in the process of treatment for cancer with tools to aid in their healing
process. Topics to be presented in a workshop format with the option of attending
whichever workshop is of interest to the individual patient. The workshops would
be provided free of charge to the participants and the series would run twice yearly.
Enrollment would be open to the greater Hampton Roads communities with geographical
diverse locations. Speaker engagement would be appropriate to the lecture topic.
2010 Lecture Series Dates
These workshops are for cancer patients who have completed or are in the process
of completing treatments. The focus will be on providing tools to aid in the healing
process. Each month will spotlight a different topic and will be held throughout
the Hampton Roads community.
Time: 6PM – 7:30PM
RSVP: 1-800-736-8272
Refreshments will be provided
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Sentara Leigh Hospital
Long Term Effects From Treatment
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital
Let's Get Personal – Sexual Intimacy After Cancer
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital
What's New in Cancer Treatment and Trends
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center
The Power of Your Thoughts – How You Think Affects How You Feel
Survivorship Series Topics
- The Power of Your Thoughts - How You Think Affects How You Feel: Using cognitive
behavior therapy to help individuals affect their thoughts and emotions.
- Managing Anxiety and Depression: Identifying the symptoms of depression, how
to cope and demonstrating tools to help one manage and recognize when referral is
necessary as this is a common issue faced by the cancer survivor.
- Cancer Is A Family Affair: Helping patients identify and adapt to changing roles
and responsibilities in dealing with chronic illness.
- Let's Get Personal - Sexuality and Intimacy After Cancer: Identifying how people
need to adapt to physical and emotional changes with cancer.
- Learning To Relax and Experience the Present Moment - Stress Management: Providing
people with specific life tools to manage anxiety and stress.
- Nutrition - Now what? Identifying healthy diet practices to boost the body's
capacity to resist cancer.
- Long Term Effects From Treatment: Identifying physical and mental side effects
from cancer treatment and ways to deal with them.
- Financial/Employment Issues: Explaining resources available for financial assistance
and dealing with employment issues.
- What's New in Cancer Treatments and Trends? Updates on new treatments, genetic
testing, clinical trials for cancer.
Additional Resources